To Love Evil
by Cuizard the Bump-nose Dragon
Summary: Icewillow and Fireleaf, lovers to the very end. The Clan is attacked by a band of warriors and the two warriors must protect their kits. A vengeful tom is on the prowl with the blood of his next victim on his mind. Will Icewillow and Fireleaf be able to save the kits from this awful murderer?


**This one-shot was made for a WillowClan monthly challenge: "A Mother's Love is Forever" in honor of Mother's Day. **

**To Love Evil**

* * *

Dusk slid into night as the darkness rolled over the sky like a shroud. Clouds drifted over the star and moon. Trees stood still in the stillness of night as shadows glided across the forest floor. Their paws bounded over brambles like the hooves of a prancing deer. Bright yellow eyes glinted in the black, still night, taking lead of several unflinching eyes trailing behind it.

* * *

A long haired, pure white she-kit with a patch of ginger on her back and forehead poked her head out from the cold moss. Her green eyes glinted as she peered across the clearing. A short-furred, dark ginger she-kit shifted her position. Her long legs jammed into the pure white she-kit's side. A growl formed deep in her throat. She snapped her head to the side.

"Russetkit, keep your lofty legs to yourself, mouse-brain," the scrawny, white she-kit growled.

A lump of what looked like a pure white tom ruffled his short fur. A fluffy white head slid up from the nest. His yellow eyes blinked as he yawned.

"Featherkit, why are you still up?"

"Oh!" The white she-kit stirred as her mind drifted back to reality. "Did I wake you, Sleetkit?"

"You didn't just wake Sleetkit, you stupid furball," a long furred, white tom grumbled as he pushed his muscular body up from the mossy nest. "You probably woke up the entire Clan if you hiss any louder."

The dark ginger kit was the last to sit up from their mother's nest. Featherkit glanced back at the large ginger queen snoozing next to them. Her sides rose and fell with every breath she took.

"What are you doing, still up?" Russetkit mewed in a hushed voice.

"I couldn't sleep," the white she-kit simply replied as her yellow eyes reverted back to her siblings.

A dark figure burst through the front enterance of the camp, across the clearing from the nursery. The cat's blue eyes were wide and filled with fear. "We're under siege! Every warrior get up! We are being attacked!"

Cats of all sizes staggered from their nests and appeared outside their dens. Within a heartbeat, dark colored cats tore through the barriors. Fur bristling and fangs gnashing were all that the four kits could see in the blurr of balls of fur darting around the camp at stifling speeds.

"Icewillow," a low growl rumbled. "Find Icewillow! I need to have a little _chat_ with him."

Two large cats nipped the kits' scruffs and lifted their limber bodies from their nest. Russetkit and Sleetkit squealed, while Cloudmit and Featherkit had remained speechless as the two figures bounded away into the pine-filled forest. With a rough grunt, the kits were tossed into the nearest shrub.

The ginger queen glanced back at her kits as the silver and white tom nudged her side. With a slight wimper, both warriors began to pad back to the heat of battle. Before they could take a step a large black tom burst from the tree above.

"Ah, ha! I've got you!" the pure black warrior hissed.

"Darkfrost!" The silver and white warrior growled as his short fur bristled.

"I'm glad you still remember me, Icewillow," the black tom grinned, baring his fangs. "I thought you would have forgotten me by now."

"How could we forget you?" Icewillow hissed. His eyes slid back to Fireleaf, his mate. The dark ginger queen hunkered down in front of the the shrub.

Their four kits pressed against their mother's pelt as they watched their father, mesmerized by his muscular appearance.

His trance was broken as Darkfrost leaped at him with claws unsheathed. Icewillow tumbled backward. Darkfrost stood over him like predator over its prey. He raised a large paw, readying for another strike.

Icewillow rolled onto his back and pushed the black warrior back with his powerful hind legs. The dark warrior staggered back and immediately started his aggressive attack. The white warrior shot back onto his paws and leaped at the warrior. Their front paws swatted the air with great speed; they missed. Darkfrost countered with a second swat with his other front paw, standing on his hind legs. His claws raked the silver and white warrior's shoulder. Icewillow winced in pain, but returned the favor by raking the black tom's flank.

Darkfrost dove at Icewillow with every ounce of his strength. He drove the silver and white warrior into the base of a tall, moss-covered tree. His paws pressed against the warrior's neck. With the tip of his claws the black warrior forced Icewillow to gaze into his bright yellow eyes. His eyes were filled with hate and vengeance. There was a slight sense of pride and fear that clung onto him as he bared his fangs.

"Icewillow!" Fireleaf yowled as her pelt bristled. She arched her back and charged at the black warrior.  
Her claws dug into the dirt with each step she took. Her ears flattened atop her head as her piercing green eyes glared at the tom that was holding her mate. She lunged her entire body at the warrior, claws first. She knocked him over with a violent shove.

Icewillow winced as Darkfrost's claws raked a clump of fur from his neck. The two cats rolled over fang over claws. The dark warrior halted as Fireleaf kept tumbling farther. Both warriors struggled to their paws.

"Oh, look who's come to play!" the dark tom mewed with glee.

The dark ginger she-cat whirled around to face her opponent. Before she could take a glance at the black warrior, he had appeared behind her in a flash. Darkfrost snapped his fangs and chomped the air as the bristling she-cat ducked out of the way.

Fireleaf countered by raking her claws across the warrior's flank. The tom howled in pain and veered to the side.

"I won't let you lay one claw on him," she hissed, "Even if it kills me!"

"So, you won't mind if I do this?" Darkfrost dove at the she-cat before she could dodge. He sank his teeth deep into her scruff. The she-cat let out a blood curdling screech. "Now, die like the fox-hearted fool you are!"

"Fireleaf_!_" the four kits wailed in unison.

Icewillow whipped his head from the four kits, who were still hiding in the brush, to his mate.

"Fireleaf, no!" he yowled. His green eyes flashed as his mind was raging with vengeful thoughts. "How dare you lay a claw on her, Darkfrost?"

He bolted to his feet like lightning and made a mad dash at the murderous black tom. His vengeful eyes guided the silver and white tom around one side of the two warriors. His claws hooked onto the bark of the nearest tree. Using his powerful hind legs, he lunged forward and dived down at Darkfrost, who had just let go of the ginger she-cat. The large silver warrior landed a couple tail-lengths away from the black warrior.

"Ah, I see that you have finally come to your senses." Darkfrost sneered.

"Yeah," the silver tom growled. "That a cat, like you, can't be trusted."

"Now, why would you say that?" he mewed with a smirk propped up on his face.

"You became mates with Fireleaf after we swore in StarClan's name that neither of us would try to go out with her," Icewillow replied.

"You've got that all wrong, my dear, old friend. You were the one who wound up getting her after she said that she loved me."

"That was only because she had just found out that you murdered Whitestrike in cold blood," the silver warrior injected. "Were you planning on slaughtering Fireleaf and I as well?"

"Nope. Only you," Darkfrost simply mewed in reply. "Your mate just got in the way is all."

A growl formed deep in the silver tom's throat. "You liar!" he yowled. Icewillow charged at the black warrior. He leaped and plunged his claws deep into Darkfrost's throat.

The dark warrior coughed as blood oozed from the open wound. His golden, yellow eyes glistened in the moonlight. His jaws parted baring his bright yellow fangs which also had her blood dripping from them.

"You know," he rasped as struggled to keep breathing. "Pinestar was right about you, me, and our father. We were all born into a family of murderers."

With that the black tom let out a final breath of air. His body collapsed, still being propped up by the two claws that were still griping his neck. The white warrior let finally let go after a few long moments of silence. His fur laid flat on his back again. He shook the vapors from his head and sat back on his haunches.

The sounds of war began to slowly fade away into the frosty night air. A cool breeze swept through the forest which brought the smells of his own Clan's blood mingled with those of their enemies. He couldn't tell who had more blood spilled; all he knew was that there was lot of it.

Slowly, the silver and white tom plodded back to his mate's side. The four kits had already scampered out from their hiding place and huddled near their mother's motionless body. His white tail slid up the dark ginger she-cat's back and over to her face, ruffling up her frail fur. Her body was cold and almost lifeless.

He sat down next to her front paws and pressed his cheek against her chest. He felt a murmur of a heartbeat. He relaxed and let out a mournful sigh.

"Was he right?" the silver warrior whispered into his mate's ear. "Did you really love him before me?"

"I loved both of you," she rasped, gazing up at her mate with her dying amber eyes. "Equally."

"Why did you go out with him?"

"He asked first," she mewed with a slight laugh.

"Even after he killed the previous deputy, Whitestrike?" he interrogated.

"Even then," she replied. "I only left him because of his behavior. But I still feel affection for him."

"And what about me?"

"I love you too," she murmured. "Because a mother's love isn't split between those she loves. It doubles for every cat that she loves."

"Even our kits?" Icewillow pressed.

"Even the kits," she echoed as she breathed her last breath. With that the queen was dead.

Icewillow stood up. The four kits wailed as they couldn't feel the warmth of their mother anymore. The silver tom glanced between the two corpses laying on the ground. He sighed.

Darkfrost's voice echoed in the silver warrior's mind. How could she possibly love a family of murderers? What of the kits? Would they grow up to be murderers as well? Icewillow shook the raging thoughts from his mind. He couldn't think of that. He had four kits to raise. Maybe, just maybe, he could show the same love of a mother.


End file.
